A Kitui County Assembly member has been charged at the Milimani Law Courts over the theft of mobile phones worth hundreds of thousands of shillings from a parcel office in Nairobi's central business district.

Cyrus Kisavi Musyoka, the MCA for Ikanga/Kyatune Ward, appeared before Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to stealing 42 Itel phones valued at Sh609,000. The prosecution says the handsets, priced at Sh14,500 each, belonged to a trader and were taken from a parcel office on Luthuli Avenue on August 5, 2026.

More counts pending

The MCA is expected to take plea on two more counts on Thursday. According to the charges cited by the Standard and Eastleigh Voice, they relate to:

  • 126 phones worth about Sh1.8 million allegedly stolen from a shuttle company's office on Mfangano Lane on August 18.
  • 20 phones worth Sh420,000 allegedly taken from a firm on River Road on September 14.

Investigating officer Corporal Edgar Opili of the DCI told the court that the phones linked to the suspect so far are worth about Sh4.9 million. He said the handsets were stolen while in transit, with courier consignments allegedly diverted. Detectives are still analysing CCTV footage and pursuing possible accomplices.

Bail opposed

The prosecution opposed his release on bond, telling the court that the MCA had previously failed to attend court in an earlier case at the Makadara Law Courts, leading to a warrant of arrest before the matter was reinstated. Prosecutors argued he was a flight risk.

Musyoka was arrested on October 22 by detectives from Kamukunji on Mfangano Street, and police had earlier obtained orders to hold him as they completed investigations.

Detained until Thursday

Magistrate Onsarigo directed that the MCA be held at Kamukunji Police Station until Thursday, when he will rule on the bail application and the remaining charges will be read.

The MCA has denied the charge and is presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted of stealing under the Penal Code, he could face a lengthy jail term, and the case could also affect his standing in the county assembly.

Phone traders in the Nairobi CBD rely heavily on parcel and shuttle offices to move stock between towns, and police say they are examining how the consignments were diverted before reaching their owners.

Photos: Eastleigh Voice (DCI headquarters file photo); Kenyans.co.ke (Milimani Law Courts file photo). Thumbnail design: HAMASTA MEDIA.